2017-2018 Volunteer Leah Landry


Leah Landry is a native of Glen Ellyn, Illinois, a western suburb of Chicago. She will be moving east into the Back of the Yards neighborhood serving at Precious Blood Ministry Reconciliation. She will be living in community with the Dayton Precious Blood sisters who live and serve in Chicago. This past May she graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a Bachelor of Arts in political science, Spanish and peace studies. Leah was awarded the Yarrow Award from the Kroc Institute at Notre Dame. The Yarrow Award is awarded to peace studies undergraduates who demonstrate academic excellence and a commitment to service in peace and justice.

  • Why do you want to volunteer?

“I am excited to be a volunteer at Precious Blood Ministry of Reconciliation because I see this as the start of my vocation dedicated to helping create a restorative justice system in the US. As a volunteer, I will have a chance to learn from and be a part of the stories and the experiences of the young people at PBMR. I hope this year helps me grow and become a better advocate and ally for people who have been hurt by our current justice system.”

  • Why do you want to be a Precious Blood Volunteer?

“I want to be a Precious Blood Volunteer because I am looking forward to being a part of a community that is dedicated to making the world a better place and helping others. I think it will be a great experience to work alongside volunteers who are passionate and excited about social justice issues like me.”

  • What are you looking forward to about your volunteer experience?

“I am really looking forward to getting to know the Back of the Yards community. I’ve lived outside Chicago my whole life and have always wanted an opportunity to become more ingrained in the city neighborhoods. I am also excited to learn more about restorative justice and be trained in how to facilitate circle processes. I can’t wait to start volunteering at PBMR and finally put into practice all the theories and ideas I learned in my Peace Studies classes.”